Our New Adventure!

Last week our new Ice-cream maker finally came in the mail! Being the we are a gluten and dairy-free family, Jon and I decided an ice-cream maker was a good investment! Now we can make our own ice-cream with almond milk or goat milk...we are looking for "healthy" ice-cream recipes with little sugar or natural sugar alternatives as well.
Our first batch of ice-cream did not turn out well! Something went wrong and we are not sure what! So we are looking for new recipes to try...it might take a few tries to get it just right! If anyone has any good recipes...let me know!

Where is the Baby...

A few days ago Elsie found my big floppy summer hat while playing with my shoes in the closet...and she plopped it on her head and sat in front of the mirror to admire herself. This picture reminds me of one of my favorite childhood story books called "Where is the Baby" with the Eloise Wilkins drawings.
I tried to get more pictures because I thought she looked so cute~ but she was done with dress up! Just for the record...Elsie is experimenting with dressing herself...thus the jeans, jean jumper and no shirt...I normally do not dress her like this! But I know it is important for her to have her own opinion and to explore her creative expression...so that explains the crazy outfit!

A New Store In Town...

A new craft store opened up in the town a few miles from our house...so today my sisters and I went to have a look...I found an Amy Butler pattern for the "Birdie Sling" Bag and 3 pieces of fabric to make the bag. This evening I have been working on cutting out all the pieces...hopefully I will soon have it finished!
The lovely fabric...

Corners Of My Cottage...

We keep 3 little baskets of toys under the end table in the living room...
Elsie's little play area in the Living Room...we don't keep many toys out for her to help encourage imaginative and creative play...I think the mirror is her favorite part of her play area...

The black dresser in the Dining Room...lots of red for Valentine's Day!

The counter in the Kitchen...

The basket of hats,scarves and gloves in the entry...another favorite place for Elsie to play! Please note that my floor is not really as dirty as it looks in this photo!

A New Favorite Snack...

Elsie has discovered the joy of popcorn! This is now her favorite snack food! We have a popcorn popper that pops the corn over the stove...and we don't use any butter~just a little popcorn salt for extra flavor. Tastes so good...

Rocking Pony...

For Christmas Grandma B. and Patrick gave Elsie a little rocking pony...from the moment Elsie saw it she did not like it one bit! We have been keeping it in the crib...but a few days ago she wanted it out...and was playing on it like it was best toy ever! We now have the little pony in the living room...
She still doesn't like to ride the pony when the sound is on...so we keep that off and all is well...

Notice her lips...Elsie "helps" me put my makeup on every morning...I sit on the floor in front of the mirror in our bedroom...and Elsie looks through my makeup bag and plays with everything. She has now discovered what lipstick is and where it goes. So sometimes she gets a little on her lips when I am finished...it was a little tough to get a good picture of her lipstick!

Playing Dress Up...

Yesterday Elsie was walking around wearing my shoes! She loves to play in my closet with the shoes, purses and clothes! She thought she really something in my fancy red shoes...
She would carefully shuffle along and get rather upset when the shoes would fall off her tiny toes!

Elsie thinks everything goes on her head! As I was folding clothes yesterday afternoon she found her pajama pants and put them on her head!

She just sat there so innocent looking watching me fold clothes...like it was totally normal to wear pants on your head!

My Handy Husband...

In our dining room are the steps to go downstairs to the laundry room...we could not get the baby gate to work here very well~ so Jon made this lovely gate! I love the gate...it matches perfect and looks like was always here! He spent lots of time measuring, cutting, sanding and staining...and it turned out perfect!
Jon takes much pride in this gate because he built it all by himself with no experience! Now we have a completely baby-proof house!

Anniversary Flowers...

For our anniversary we just had a quite evening at home...We are going our to dinner and a movie this weekend while Grandma B. babysits Elsie. Jon brought these lovely flowers home for me...they have a place in the center of the dining room table...Love the way the sun shines on them all morning and afternoon...
I had this plant and a balloon with chocolates sent to Jon at work for a nice little surprise...

2 Years Today!

Happy Anniversary...Jon and I have now been married for 2 years! We have a beautiful daughter, a lovely home, a good job, much happiness and contentment...what more could a couple want?

I remember our wedding day like it was yesterday! I was not at all nervous~ just excited to be starting our life together...

" Marriage is more than just the word Love. It is trust, honesty, and friendship~ gifts sent from Heaven above..."

~ Dana Roberts Clark

Hats...

Elsie has been discovering dress up! So far she just likes to wear hats and sunglasses...she will pop a hat on her head...put on some fancy shades and run to the mirror to admire her new and transformed self! Yesterday Jon hung some little hooks up by the mirror in her room...so she can keep some hats hanging by the mirror! We also put a little basket of hats in her room so she has lots to choose from! Now she is always running around with some kind of a hat on her head!
I did not get any pictures of her with any sunglasses on...but she will take my sunglasses out of my jewelery case and put them on along with a hat! The sunglasses are so funny looking on her! It doesn't matter to her if they are upside down or not! She loves to share her dress up with Jon and I, too! She always looks so pleased when Jon puts her hat and sunglasses on!

Tea Party Time...

Last week one afternoon my Mom and all the kids came over for a quick visit. Elsie and her aunties got out all her new tea party things...the little tea sets from Grandma B. , the wooden food and the adorable crochet cupcakes...what a lovely tea party...
A pretty table cloth and all...

Elsie is quickly learning about imaginary play with her aunties around!

Elsie the tea party hostess...

What is for Breakfast?

Elsie is into finding new places to put things...we find crazy things in crazy places everyday! A few days ago I opened the cabinet door to get the toaster out to make breakfast...and look what I found!
I think Strawberry Shortcake fits perfectly in the bread slots!

Jon's Photography

I was going through my pictures on the camera preparing to burn them on a disk...and I found a series of sledding pictures Jon had taken of my brother and sisters. This picture is the neatest one...Colter is going down the hill...yet he is only one not moving in the picture. This is a tricky technique called panning...looks like Jon is quite the photographer after all!

Daddy's Boots

I think Elsie is discovering dress up! She loves to wear Jon's boots...they are so big though that she needs help to wear them!